Fuel-shut-off mechanism fob automobiles



1. E. FUCHS. FUEL SHUT-OFF MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED lULY 31,1918.

1,303,878, Patented May 20, 1919.

JOHN FUCHS, STANFORD, CONNECTICUT.

UEL-SHU'r-orr MECHANISM VFon AUTOMOBILES.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. Focus, citizenof the United States, residing at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new. and useful IImprovements in Fuel- Shut Ofi' Mechanism for Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art toy which it appertains to make and use `the My invention relates to improved mecha- ,nism for controlling the fuel supply of auof the engine to temporarily shut 0H the mixture of `air and gas from the cylinders, and thus preventl an unauthorized removal of the automobile.

' The accompanying drawings fully set forth the construction and operation of the device.

Y parts when the iow of the mixture is uninl Figure l represents a broken view of the manifold, and the housing in which is located the mixture controlling mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a view looking in the direction rof arrow a of Fig. 1;

Fig.' 3 is an enlarged detail view of the inside face of ythe plug for closing the 'mouth of the housing anda cross sectional view of the housing 'and .valve operating spindle Fig. 4 is an enlarged central sectional view of the housing and a lateral extension, thereof in which is located the lockmechanism, showing the position of the several operative terrupted; l

Fig. 5 is an enlarged central view'of the housing, valve and its operative mechanism' showing the position of the valve with re- .'spect to the manifold when the fuel supply is shut ofi', also broken sectional view of the manifold;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the manifold, end view of one of the heads of the valve mechanism, and sectional view of the valve showing its position with relspect to the manifold when the flow of the Specicationof Letters Patent. l

`the flange 25 of the tube reter to the engine-not shown. VariousV Patented May 20, 1919. l Application led July 31, 1918. Serial No. 247,581. i

types of manifolds are in use, therefore .the

term manifold includes any inclosedV space between the carburetor and the engine cylinders, whether thev housing or tube 'mclosing such space 'forms a part of the carbuerter, the cylinders, or is a detached construction.

p 2 is a housing projecting at right angles to the manifold 4and integral therewith. lVithin this housing is located the principal mechanism for controlling `the flow of the ymixture, comp-rising the plug 3, havingears 4, in which are located the screws 5 for securing it to the flange 6 of the housing.

`This plug is seated within the housing and its inner end is provided-with the tapered recess or conical seat 7, Fig. 3,'and' the central hole 8 leading outward from the bottom ofthe recess. spindle comprises the stem 9 adapted toopcrate freely in the hole 8 of the plug 3. vOn the' outer projecting end of the stem is located the knurled head 10 secured to the stem by screws 11. The head portion 12 of the spindle is tapered -to fit the tapered mouth 7 of the plug, and 13 is a spring located within the recess 14:y of the plug for the purpose of normally maintaining the taper head of the spindle firmly against its seat.

The shut-off valve comprises the heads 15 and 16 connected together by the web 17, which web forms the valve proper. The head l5 .has the hub 18, which hub projects within the recess 19 of the spindle head, and the pin 20 connects thevalve head with the spindle. y

21 is a tubular right angle-extension of the housing 2, and it contains the means for locking and unlocking the; mechanism of the housing in any of its adjusted positions. 22

represents a common tumbler lock secured to The shut-oft1 valve controlling n the said extension by the bolts 23, whose heads 24 Contact withl the outer surface olf 26, secured at the bottom of the extension 2 1.

Within the flanged tube 26 is rotatably located the shell 27, and within this shell is vlocated the outer end of the locking bolt with one or the other of thel recesses 29-30, Figs. 4 and 5, of the tapered spindle head 12.

The manner of engaging the locking bolt With the spindle head is as follows: l/Vhen 28, whose inner end is adapted to register i the key 31 is inserted in the key slot `32, Fig.

' l, it will actuate the member 31a, Fig. 4, of

the lock. This member being located in the slot 33, Fig. 10, of the shell 27, will cause saidshell to rotate.

This shell is alsoproslot to withdraw the locking bolt when thesol , v The spindle has the air head 12. The plug 3 has a manifold to the cylinders,

pm 20 to indicate the ceive the pin 35 carried by the locking bolt. This pini also projects through the spiral slot 36 of the tube 26 and follows down said key is turned in the proper direction for this purpose.

passage or port and into its taper similar air passage 38, and the head 15 of the vvalve body has the hole 39 adapted to be brought to register with the other air passages. `When the, mixture 'is passing from the the mechanism in the housing will be locked in the position shown in Fig. 4, with the valve 17 in vertical position as also shown in Fig. 6, so that the mixture will flow on each side of the valve in the direction as shown by the arrows b. The' hole or port 39 in the Valve lead 15 will then be in the position shown 37 through its stem 9 in said Fi .6.

To shut off the flow-of the mixture, the locking bolt 28 is withdrawn by means of the key, as before described, which will release the spindle so it can be forced inward far enough to unseat its tapered head. 12,

and when thus unseated, the spindle is free to be rotated until the locking bolt \can register with the recess` 30, Fig. 5, when it is forced therein through the medium of the key. This will place the valve 17 at right angles to vits former position and shut off the flow of mixture -as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. Rotating the mechanism, just described, will bring the hole- -39 inthe valve head to register with the air and 37 of the spindle. 40, Figs. 3, 4 and 5, arestop pins-,located in the inner face of the open. and closed positions of the valve. Cranking the engine, While the mixture is thus shut off, would only result in drawing in a large quantity of Isurplus air through the before mentioned air passages," c, which will destroy v inders to such an extent thatthe pistons could not 'draw the mixture by the valve. As thevalve 17 -must operate freely, there would necessarily be more or less space surrounding it through which suliicient mixture might be drawn to start the engine were it not for the air relief thusprovided. When the airpassages are closed, the`taper head 12 of the spindle. is held so firmly against its seat by the spring 13 that no' air can escape by the spindle when the engine is working.

as indicated by arrows passages 38 of the plug, v

plug 3 to be alternately e'ligaged by the long.

the vacuum in the cvl- Locating the means for shutting of the mixture in the manifold tube, located between the carbureter and cylinders, requires less mechanism than would be needed in order to install the same in any/other part of the machine.

Other well known means for seating the spindle could be employed that would be as effective as the taper head.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. Fuel controlling mechanism for internal explosive engines comprising a housing projecting laterally from the manifold of the engine, a plug secured in the mouth of the housing having a central bore terminating in a conical .seat in its inner end, a spindle having a stem operatively mounted in the bore of the plug and a conical head for the conical seat of the plug, a spring normally maintaining the head in said seat, lvalve operatively connected with the spindle and registering with the interior of the manifold and adaptedto shut off the fuel supply from the engine, means for locking the valve in its open or closed positions, and means outside of the plug for operating the spindle and valve.

2. Fuel controlling. mechanism for'jjl internal explosive engines comprising a housing projecting laterally' from the manifold of the engine, a plug secured in the mouth of the housing having a central bore and 'a conical seat in its inner end, a spindle having a stem operatively mounted in the bore of theplug and a conical head for the conical seat of the plug, a fuel shut oI1` valve registeringwith the interior of the mani?l cured in the mouth ofthe housing, la fuel shut-off valve registering with the interlor of the manifold, mechanism locatedfin the housing for operating the valve to open and closed positions, said valve operating mechanism andplug having air passages adapted-to communicate with the inter-lor o f the manifold only when the valve is closed,

j manifold and integral therewith, a plug seand means for locking the Valve operating i mechanism when the Valve is in an open orl closed position.` A

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

.v J OHN.` E. FUCHS. 

